Loveless
by Dawn of Chaos
Summary: He's never met him, but for some reason he's able to begin to understand him. Their feelings of loneliness and solitude...lets them become loveless no more.


_Lets get one thing clear before you continue. To ease confusion. This follows the storyline of FF7 to a T. Genesis knew of Cloud, in Crisis Core he needed the cells in his body to survive but Zack prevented that. Cloud **never** knew Genesis, since he was in a mako induced coma in the moments he could have. Now. This is after Dirge of Cerberus (watch the secret ending for explanations) to where Genesis has been awoken from his slumber to protect the world as the 'hero' he claims to be._

_=P Enjoy _

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><p>The overcast sky does nothing to warm the chill that runs down the young man's spine, eyes shutting briefly before returning to watch the dirt path pass underneath the wheels of his motorcycle, Fenrir. Dark tinted sunglasses beat back the grains of sand that fling themselves up into his pale skinned face, protecting clear blue eyes from any damage. Black gloves rise up to the middle of his lower arms, fingers clutching the handles as the wheels slow to a crawl. The ground is clean and bare, no traffic or trespassers reaching the hallowed ground of Banora since the day it was eradicated as a town. The wind ceases to blow through flaxen spikes and some fall to a rest alongside gentle angles of the young warrior's face.<p>

He climbs off of the slick, black vehicle with a gained elegance and lets his thick ebony boots scoffed with dirt hit the ground. Black pants fall over his legs and a sleeveless black shirt rests on his shoulders, slightly unzipped so that the collar flares up around the sides of his face. He had rushed out to this town of Banora, where the lifestream flows freely, without worrying about much save for his sword stored into the compartments of his bike. With that thought of having none of his holsters or guards, he turns back to his bike and opens the compartments, grabbing out each of the six swords and combining them to the main blade, First Tsurugi.

He had gotten a call from the rowdy Turk, Reno, to let him know that they have received sightings of none other than everyone's own silver haired nightmare, Sephiroth. Reno had told Cloud it was in a forgotten city of Banora and sent him off to investigate with the words of those that witnessed someone flying above the city. Prepared for just about any sign of dismay that may come, Cloud turns back to the direction of the entrance to destroyed city. However, as he does a tinge of pain shoots through his skull and he can't help but drop to a knee, clutching at his head with one hand.

x.X.x.X.x.X.x

_It's just like Angeal said it was! The hill acts like a three tiered staircase with an arch of Banora apple trees curved over the dirt path, each tree connecting with the one on the other side and the branches tangling together. I walk eagerly up the dirt path with Tseng beside me, my eyes focusing on the trees stretched above and the apples hanging from them. I can't help but smile at the thought of them...'Dumbapples'. My strides take me straight up to a large building on the cliff overlooking the rest of the small town and since Angeal told me that Genesis' family had been much more set than the others in Banora, I can only assume this is where he lived. _

x.X.x.X.x.X.x

Cloud stands at the top of the hill where the shambles of the large building he can clearly remember seeing...even though he never has. The blonde makes his way straight to a shambled path that surely used to lead down to the other residences. He jumps straight to the bottom, his trained body bending just as it should to break his fall. Cloud tightens his grip on his sword as he walks to the edge of where the town square should be opening to. However, all that is there are straggled pieces of land in a mako-like lake, the chunks of earth seeming to lead down to a small opening in the wall of the cliff on the opposite side, leading to the Banora Underground Cloud knows he shouldn't know about.

A heavy sigh breaks over his pale lips as he directs his eyes up towards the sky decorated with gray clouds, each threatening to rain down more than the one next to it. His blue eyes widen visibly and he takes his sunglasses off, showing the freckles dusting over his face as he stares up at the single black wing flapping above, the person attached to it out of his range of sight. The sight makes his stomach clench as he stares up at who he can only assume is a newly reborn Sephiroth. Setting his jaw he blinks hard, bracing himself for the onslaught that is more than a definite outcome of their meeting. Cloud does his best to dust the fear away and as he does his mind wanders back to his best friend... Zack...

x.X.x.X.x.X.x

_Worn and battered from the battle with the summon it only enrages me more as I glare at his back. Shoulders are clad in a long crimson coat and black shoulder guards while the clothing underneath is all black from his shirt to his boots. The red, magic-infused, rapier is gone from his grasp as he stands before me, waiting for me to speak and I do. I clench my fist as my eyes drill holes into his back, "What happened to dreams and honor?" I yell at him, not understanding what's going on._

_He glances slightly over his shoulder, short crimson tresses parting to show the silver earring in his ear. "We are... monsters," is all he says before unfurling a large, ebony wing where it proceeds to flap several times, "We have neither dreams nor honor." _

_I'm left staring up at the sky as he takes off, flying away from his hometown of Banora. The black feathers float down around me and the loneliness from his voice tugs at me, "SOLDIER... doesn't mean monster."_

x.X.x.X.x.X.x

_My breath comes out in pants from the battle, my sword clutched in my hand as I stand in front of the battered and degrading man. He kneels on the ground with his own breath coming out in short gasps, the ebony wing trying desperately to let him take flight, to escape from me. Between his breaths he begins to recite more lines from the play of Loveless that I struggle to figure out, his eyes never meeting mine. "Dreams of the morrow hath the shattered soul. Pride is lost. Wings stripped away." He manages to push himself to his feet, stumbling to try and stay upright until finally he collapses back onto the ground. _

_He continues to lie there, his head lifting once to try and look at me. "Such is...the fate of a monster."_

_Despite not moving to assist him, I point at myself and then show him the sword in my grasp, "We're not monster you hear me? We're SOLDIER! Where's your honor?"_

_Once more he attempts to get to his feet. "Even if the morrow is barren of promises, nothing shall forestall my return." _

x.X.x.X.x.X.x

Cloud takes several steps back as the figure lands in front of him with a sense of superiority. His blue eyes widen at the man who is standing before him, clearing not Sephiroth but quite the opposite. His mouth forms a small 'o' as his eyes run over the tattered red leather coat shielding his black attire. Ebony boots are scoffed and worn while blue eyes still hold an old confidence. Cloud holds his sword steady in front of his body, both hands clutching at the hilt. "Who are you?"

"That should be my question to you, a stranger on Banora's soil."

Cloud narrows his eyes, "Cloud Strife..."

For a moment the redhead seems to think hard, his sword unsheathed from his side. "I remember now...The infantryman." The man strides forward, his stride full of purpose until Cloud raises his sword to keep him from moving any further. "Why would you raise your sword to the protector of this infected world?" He waves his arm out around him, indicting the lifestream seeping up through the straggled pieces of ground, "_Even if the morrow is barren of promises nothing shall forestall my return. To become the dew that quenches the land. To spare the sands, the seas, the skies...I offer thee this silent sacrifice._"

Suddenly, anger wells up inside of Cloud's chest to the point of exploding. The anger causes him to split his sword into two and launch forward, "Is that why you tried to kill him, Genesis!"

The word slips from his lips even though he knows he shouldn't know it. Their swords clash together with a spark of metal, Genesis smiling knowingly at the blonde. He gives a defiant push and flaps his wing, taking him up in the air enough where he's sure Cloud can't knick him with the sword. "Incorrect, he pursued me and then proceeded to sacrifice himself for you."

"You're just like Sephi-"

The name doesn't even finish flicking off Cloud's tongue as his swords are ripped from his hands and his back slams against the ground. The air is knocked out of him as he listens to the metal weapons skittering over the ground. Genesis sits atop him with the rapier at his throat and his hands being held by the redhead above his head. "That SOLDIER was a true monster. I'm more of a hero than he could ever be." Genesis leans down, the edge of the blade pressing closer to Cloud's neck. "Have you read LOVELESS?"

Cloud slams his head up against Genesis', the blade nicking his neck and the very few droplets sliding into his vest. Genesis is shoved away and immediately takes flight to save himself as Cloud, having grabbed his swords, swings them at his midsection. Genesis smirks, "I'll take that as a no." Lowering himself back to the ground, he levels his sword, "We all have a part to play; Sephiroth, Angeal, and Zack all played theirs. Will you take up yours, Cloud?"

Without a second of hesitation the blonde digs his boots into the ground, launching with incredible force at the awaiting Genesis. Their swords clash together before Cloud is pushed backward, a hand clad in red leather running down the length of the rapier. Ruins and symbols seem to blaze as Genesis arches his arm back down to the blonde, a fireball homing straight at him. Only seconds spare Cloud from the embers as he dodges to the right, the ground smoldering and burnt from the intensity of such a high level material. A huff is all Cloud lets out as he darts back up to his feet and to the edge of the land, propelling himself off the edge and straight for the now hovering Genesis.

For the oddest reason that Cloud has trouble comprehending, Genesis throws his sword at Cloud; the blonde easily knocking it aside where stabs into one of the various chunks of land. Cloud's dual wielding is proven useless as he gets close to the redhead who doesn't even bother with dodging, except spreading his arms out and getting closer. The swords themselves completely miss scraping against him, his arms wrapping around the blondes' arms and body, holding him up as he looks down on him. Cloud struggles to get away, his swords falling away from his fingers from the effort along with the tight grip on his upper arms. With his head only at the level of Genesis collarbone, Cloud is held in place as Genesis raises even higher, Cloud's only effort to not perish from the fall being that of wrapping his arms tightly around the man's waist. In a rather shaky voice, Cloud tries his best to keep it strong and unwavering, "P-Put me down!"

"Do you know about Dumbapples?" Losing his dignity by being subdued so easily, Cloud shakes his head furiously. "They're beyond delicious. They are truly a gift from the Goddess."

x.X.x.X.x.X.x

_I stand before the three of them with pride, holding one of the odd fruit in my hand. Taking a nice bite my gaze is drawn instantly down to where Genesis is propped against the brown chair Cloud sits in, his eyes not even opening from the weak state he's left in._

"_Is it good?"_

_Shocked, I shake it off and give a gentle smile down at him, "Yeah!"_

_I'm sure if he hadn't been left so weak from the battle he'd be munching on the apple I've placed on his lap, "The gift of the goddess..."_

_I hold the apple up to my face, staring in wonder that he could possibly mean the apple after all this time, "This apple?" As I look down he's shaking his head softly and as he begins to mumble the word Angeal I don't have the heart to tell him that I killed him so long ago... that he made me take his life... I can't tell a possibly dieing man that his best friend, his only friend, is dead because of me._

x.X.x.X.x.X.x

Suddenly, Cloud finds himself looking up at Genesis, understanding how he must be feeling. They're the same in that one simple respect. Zack may have been forced to kill his friend, Genesis best and only friend... and then Genesis could only be blaming himself for the helping in the destruction of Zack inevitable end. It doesn't make quite that much sense to him, but as that lonely look glances down at him he can only look away, not realizing that he rests his head against Genesis' chest. Adjusting his grip, Genesis wraps his arms around Cloud's waist instead; giving the blonde a slight fright in the manner of doing so to make gloved fingers clutch at the front of Genesis' black turtleneck.

"Look down," he says with the gentler voice.

Cloud does as he's told and his eyes widen at the sight. The lifestream stretches and flows around the scattered pieces of earth, the shimmering green reflecting in his clear blue eyes. The next thing he knows his feet are touching down on the ground, hands loosening on the fabric of the redhead's shirt. Red leather carasses Cloud's cheek, Genesis cupping the blonde warrior's chin in the palm of his hand. The loneliness between them reflects in each other's eyes as Genesis lowers himself closer. Black feathers flutter around them as their lips ghost across one another before finally catching in a shy and weak kiss. A gentle rosemary pink dusts over Cloud's freckled cheeks, eyes glued to his hands still coiled tightly into Genesis' shirt, "Come back to Midgar."

"What would my reason be?"

"Teach me LOVELESS."

Hardly surprised at the strength of First Class Soldier, Cloud finds himself lifted back up into the air, his eyes falling away from their locked gaze and to their swords stabbed right next to each other. "I have to report back," Cloud informs him, hinting at the fact that he'd want nothing more than to be on solid ground for the moment with his head and hear spinning and reeling with so many thoughts and emotions.

Genesis flashes him a trademark smirk, their foreheads press together. "Convince me."

Embarrassed and flustered Cloud finds himself acting just like he would have years ago; like a lovesick puppy, unable to realize what's going on until he's wrapped around this man's finger, putty in his hands. The blonde gives a quick peck, trying to hide his blush only for Genesis to force his lips roughly against Cloud's, the blonde seeming to melt into the other's arms; finally with both having someone to protect and to be protected by... more than a friend and no longer loveless.


End file.
